


The Fall and Rise of an Angel

by ZanzaFlux



Series: Angelic Life [1]
Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: Might change rating later on
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-13
Updated: 2017-07-27
Packaged: 2018-12-01 19:33:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11493246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZanzaFlux/pseuds/ZanzaFlux
Summary: This is the story of Abel Angel.  The highs and lows.  The life that shaped him and made him the 'no nonsense' toon he is today.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a character based on the lovely work done by @the-vampire-inside-me on tumblr. Specifically this comic drawn by them: http://the-vampire-inside-me.tumblr.com/post/162687750954/abels-past-part-1-it-was-time-to-wipe-out-some
> 
> I saw that and knew I had to write something on it.

Abel vaguely remembered the day he came to be. He remembered being somewhat confused and very curious about what was going on around him. There were men standing around, just staring at him. Then they started asking him a bunch of questions.

“Can you hear us?”

It seemed like a silly question but he nodded.

“Can you understand us?” Again, another silly question but he nodded anyway.

“Can you speak?” Could he? He wasn’t sure. He opened his mouth and sounds came out. It almost startled him. Was that what he sounded like? He cleared his throat as the right words seemed to form in his mind.

“Yes?” The men around him seemed very pleased by this for some reason or another. He watched as they smiled and patted each other on the back for a moment before turning back to him.

“Do you know your name?” Name? Name… no matter how hard he thought on it, he didn’t know his own name. He shook his head. The men didn’t look surprised by this.

“Your name is Abel, Abel Angel.” Abel Angel. It sounded right for some reason. So he repeated it. The men looked very pleased. They began chatting among themselves except for one older gentleman. He leaned forward and held his hand out to him.

“It is nice to meet you Abel. My name is Joshua Eubanks and I am one of your creators.” He wasn’t sure what to do so he hesitantly took the man’s hand. They shook hands. It felt like the right thing to do.

“Come with me. I’d like to show you something.” Joshua put his hand on Abel’s back and ushered him towards a mirror on the other side of the room. The man stood behind him with his hands on his shoulders. He positioned him in front of the mirror.

Abel pressed his gloved hand against his cheek. His face was round and he seemed to have feathery white hair and a bright ring floating above his head. He had on a white bow tie. His white suit and gloves seemed to have a symbol on them. Joshua told him it was a “Cross”. The man told him he would explain later.

What really caught his attention was the appendages on his back. He spread them as wide as he could and even wiggled the tips.

“These are… wings?” Joshua smiled, nodded, and told him that most angels had wings.

“You see Abel, you are a very special angel. You are a Guardian Angel.” The toon angel looked a little confused. “What’s a Guardian Angel?”

“Guardian Angels protect the hearts, minds, and souls of children. They look after them and teach them right from wrong so they can grow up to be good adults.”

A protector of children? He didn’t know why but it felt right. He turned to Joshua and told him that he would love to meet them. The man chuckled softly and told the toon “All in good time.” First he needed to learn a few things about the studio he would call home and about the world outside of the it.

  
**-OoOoOoOoO-**

  
Abel had spent weeks inside the studio learning things that would make him a great Guardian Angel. He still wanted to go outside but the toon angel knew that the studio was preparing him for that. They taught him how to be polite around others and to stay away from particular groups of people. They were bad and would try to hurt him if given the chance.

There were other men who would come into the studio with reading materials for him. They would tell him to study it so he could teach the children how to be good citizens. Abel had no objection if it meant he could keep the children from going down the wrong path.

Speaking of children. The very first time he met a group of children was during his first short film. They were children of some of the workers in the studio and they were so happy to meet an angel. They surrounded him and bombarded him with a bunch of questions. For some reason they seemed really fascinated by his wings. He could feel tiny hands reaching out to touch them. The children were all smiles and giggles and it made him so happy.

He studied the scripts that were given to him. He loved the fact that he was teaching things that would help the kids as they got older. The children took what he said to heart because he was an angel and he was looking out for their well being. It made him proud to think that his teachings would be shown to other children all over the country.

After the toon angel got a few short films under his belt and their clients were satisfied, the studio told him he could finally go outside. There were rules, of course. He had to be polite at all times, stay close to the studio, and stay away from any “bad elements” that might be lurking around. Truthfully, Abel was willing to agree to anything as long as he got to leave the studio.

There was a man named Mr. Smith that went with Abel to make sure nothing went wrong. The angel didn’t know why he needed someone watching him. He remembered everything they taught him. He would be careful.

As soon as the doors to the studio swung open, Abel senses were assaulted. It was bright outside and the sun blinded him for a moment. He waited for his eyes to adjust to true sunlight. He could hear voices all around him. Laughing, arguing, chatting… all at once. He could finally see people going to and fro. All shapes and sized. Men, women, and children! They were rushing down the busy streets or heading into the shops across from him. And the smells! Oh, the smells. He had a hard time figuring out what they were. Everything hit him all at once and he was a little overwhelmed.

“You okay there angel?” Mr. Smith chuckled at the toon’s reactions.

“Ah yeah. I’ll be fine sir.” He knew he would get used to everything, in time.

A couple of days later, he was allowed to go outside again. He was being watched closely, but he didn’t mind. Some kids and their parents noticed him. He happily introduced himself and the children were already asking questions and touching his wings. He just accepted that this was going to be a regular thing for him. He didn’t mind as long as they didn’t tug too hard. As fluffy as they looked, his wings were very sensitive.

There were days where he would take a break from studio work to stand outside and talk with the neighborhood kids. He’d listen as they told him their hopes and dreams. They would ask him for advice when things were bothering them. Sometimes they just wanted to play or their parents wanted to take pictures of him with their children. Abel was more than happy to oblige them.

Abel took the responsibility of looking after those children when their parents weren’t around very seriously. It pleased the clients and the studio heads as well.

One Sunday morning, Abel was leaning against the outer wall of the studio. His head was cocked back, eyes closed, and his hands in his pockets. He was taking in the warmth of the sun. Then he heard a voice:

“Look ma! It’s an angel!” He cracked open one eye and noticed a girl standing across the street. She was pointing at him and had a huge smile on her face. He had gotten used to this and was preparing for the child to run up to him like the others.

He watched as a taller woman standing next to her looked at him. She also smiled when she saw him, but it soon morphed into something sad. She grabbed the girl’s hand to keep her in her place and said something to her. The girl looked back at him with a hurt expression on her face. Abel was confused. He didn’t know what was going on. The mother said something else that caused the girl to look down at the ground before they both walked away.

Abel stood up straight and watched as they rushed down the street. Why didn’t they come up to him? Did he do something wrong? He didn’t think so, but still…

“You don’t need people like that around you angel.” Abel was startled by Mr. Smith’s voice. He didn’t noticed the man standing there, puffing on a cigarette.

“People like that?” Abel questioned.

“You remember what we taught you, right?”

“Yeah?” Sure, the girl’s skin was darker than the other children he was allowed to be around, but she didn’t look dangerous. She was just like the other kids.

“Good. You can’t trust people like that. Even the innocent looking ones wont hesitate to stab ya in the back.” The man took one last puff from his cigarette before flicking it out in the street. “We only tell you these things to keep you safe. You understand, right?”

Abel did understand, but at that moment, it didn’t seem right. “Of course, sir.” He tried not to think about it too much. It wasn’t like he’d ever see the kid again.

Only… he did.

 

**-OoOoOoOoO-**

 

  
It was a beautiful spring day. Abel was keeping an eye on the neighborhood kids while they played close to the studio. He had his arms crossed over his chest and a soft smile on his face. He loved seeing them so happy.

There were people heading in and out of shops from across the street. That’s when he noticed a girl holding a paper bag in her arms, staring right at him. It was the same girl he saw before! She was watching him with a curious gaze and her head tilted slightly to the side. Her eyes grew wide and darted to something just behind him. She ducked her head, clutched her groceries to her chest, and hurried past a few food stands before running down an alley.

Abel looked to his side and noticed Mr. Smith standing in the studio’s doorway. He was watching them with cold eyes. It made him feel uneasy. No wonder the girl ran away. An odd feeling of annoyance was prickling at the back of his mind. He didn’t like the way the man kept scaring her away.

For the next few days he would see the girl either shopping at the open air markets or rushing down the street. Each time, she would stop to look at him before moving on. Each time, she seemed to want to come closer, but would stop herself. She would just lower her head and move on.

Each time that happened, Mr. Smith was close by. Abel was beginning to wish the man would just go inside and leave him alone. Maybe then the girl would stick around long enough for him to at least say “Hi” to her. He couldn’t possibly get into too much trouble for that.

The next day he was working with the crew on another short film. Halfway through the shoot, everyone decided to take a break. Now normally when Abel was going to relax outside, he would tell Joshua or Mr. Smith. This time, he didn’t and just walked out the door.

Abel stuffed his gloved hands into his pockets. He leaned up against the outer wall of the studio and waited. A few minutes went by when he noticed the same girl rushing down the block. She came to a halt when she noticed the angel standing out there, alone. He watched as she blinked and looked around like she expected a scary man to jump out of the shadows. He chuckled to himself. Hopefully, not this time.

Abel pushed off the wall and walk towards the curb. She was just standing there, watching him. He gave her a soft smile and waved his hand for her to come over. She backed up a step and was shaking her head vigorously. She looked really scared. He put both hands up in a calming manner and looked over his shoulder. No one was there. He looked back at her and saw she had her arms wrapped around her midsection and she continued to back up. She shook her head one more time and shot him an apologetic look before she bolted down the alleyway.

“Wait!” He called out but it was too late, she was gone.

The girl ran down the alley until she came to a large dumpster and hid behind it. She was berating herself. The scary man wasn’t there but she didn’t want to take the chance of getting in trouble. Her mother warned her to stay away from the studio even though she wanted to meet the angel so badly. He seemed so nice too.

She peeked around the dumpster to see if he had followed her. No one was there. Of course he wouldn’t be there. Why would he be. She only ran away from him. Probably hurt his feeling and he didn’t want to have anything to do with her. She felt so stupid…

She was so busy beating herself up that she didn’t notice the soft sound of flapping wings or said angel landing quietly a few feet behind her. Abel thought it was amusing that she was looking for him to come in the other direction.

When she ran off, he almost let her go. But this was too good a chance to at least speak to her and he wasn’t going to blow it. He cleared his throat and the sound caused her to spin around. She gasps and pressed her back against the dumpster. She was looking at him with wide brown eyes and slightly shaking hands.

“Woah, woah, take it easy-” He held his hands up but didn’t move from his spot. “I didn’t mean to frightin’ ya.” He waited for her to calm down a little bit. “I know you’ve been wantin’ to meet me for awhile now. Am I right?” She gave him a quick nod as she held her own hands to keep them from shaking.

The toon angel walked up to the girl slowly and stopped close enough to reach out to her. He noticed the way her eyes kept wandering to his wings then back to his face. _‘Sheesh, it’s always about the wings with these kids.’_ he thought with a warm smile on his face. He extended one wing and brought it in front of him. She tracked his movement before giving him a surprised look.

He shrugged and gave her a reassuring smile. “It’s fine. I don’t mind.” She looked him up and down for a moment. She half expected him to take it back. But he didn’t. He just stood there, waiting for her to make the next move. She reached out hesitantly.

He was expecting a hard tug or maybe a quick pull. Sometimes the kids did that to see if his wings were real. Instead it was a tentative brush of fingers along the length of his wing. She had a look of amazement on her face as she combed through the feathers.

“Wow, its softer than I thought it would be.” She took her hand back and gave him a shaky smile. “Thank you.”

Abel folded his wing behind him before scratching the back of his head. He wasn’t used to being thanked for something like that. “You’re welcome kid.” He felt a little embarrassed to be honest. She was looking at him like he had done something special or rather, he was special. He shook his head to get rid of the warm feeling creeping up his cheeks.

“Well, how about we introduce ourselves.” She smiled and gave him a small nod.

“I’m Abel.”

The girl placed her hand over her heart. “Jeanne.” she said in a soft voice.

Abel held his gloved hand out to her. She only hesitated for a moment before placing her hand in his.

The toon angel smiled. “Nice to meet you, Jeanne.”

  
And this… was the beginning of the end for the “Guardian Angel”.

 


	2. Tattered Wings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abel finds out what happens when you cross the organization.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the second part to a lovely comic created by @the-vampire-inside-me on tumblr. I, umm, had to hurt our favorite angel.

Abel and Jeanne spent a few more minutes talking before the girl had to leave. She needed to get home but she promised to talk to him again. She headed for the other end of the alleyway, telling him it was a shortcut, even though her mother didn’t like her going that way. He just chuckled and watched her leave. ‘ _Looks like I got another kid to keep an eye on_.’ He thought as he headed back to the studio.

As he exited the alley, he noticed Mr. Smith and two of his associates standing outside of the studio. _‘Tsk, should have know they’d come looking for me.’_ he thought with increasing annoyance. He shoved his hands in his pocket and slowly made his way across the street.

Smith had his head tilted down so that the brim of his fedora was covering his eyes. Abel could see a lit cigarette dangling from his lips. He looked relaxed but the vibe that the toon angel was getting was putting him on edge.

“So, where did you sneak off to angel?” Abel couldn’t see his eyes, but he could feel the man’s stare.

The angel just shrugged. “I saw a stray cat. I’ve never seen a real one and I wanted to get a closer look.”

Smith took a deep breath and blew a cloud of smoke into the air. “You should really be careful of those “strays”. They have sharp claws and you can get… hurt.” He lifted his head slightly to give the angel a knowing glance.

Abel could feel his wings twitch. “I’ll be sure to keep that in mind.”

“Good. Good. Now, you better head back inside. You have a film to finish.” Abel walked past the men but something about having them behind him, made him feel very uneasy.

The rest of the day went by rather quickly. The toon tried not to dwell on the chill he got from Mr. Smith. All he wanted to do was eat something and head to his room. He had a lot to think about.

  
**-OoOoOoOoO-**

The next couple of days went by rather normally. If Abel wasn’t studying a new script, he was keeping an eye on the local children. He did notice that Jeanne would give him a small wave as she rushed down the street. On those rare occasions where Smith wasn’t around, she would come close enough to him and the group of children to talk.

The other children were a little weary of her presence at first. Abel had to speak with them and tell them that Jeanne was a kid, just like them. It totally went against what they were taught but if the angel trusted her, why shouldn’t they.

Jeanne was a little nervous herself. Her parents had always warned her to be careful around people that weren’t like herself. Since Abel spoke on her behalf, she figured she could give the other kids a chance. She just wanted to stay as far away from the man with the cold eyes. He made her feel… unwelcome.

Abel wasn’t sure why but it warmed something deep inside of him to see the children getting along. It went against what he thought he knew, but it just felt right. It made him wonder more than once if what they taught him was wrong. His creators told him these things to keep him and the children safe. They wouldn’t lie to him, right? Why was he having such a hard time believing that.

One afternoon, the toon angel had the children gathered around him. They were sitting on the outer wall of the studio, having an interesting conversation. He was curious about what the kids had planned for their futures. It amused him to hear that some wanted to be professional ball players or go into the same business as their parents. A few just wanted to get married and have kids of their own. They seemed so sure too. Abel couldn’t help but encourage them. He did notice how quiet Jeanne had become.

“Hey kid, what about you?” She was looking down at the ground with her brow  furrowed in thought. She looked up at the group and nervously wrung her hands together.

“Well, I would love to work for Acme.” Jeanne said with a huge grin on her face. The group of kids got really quiet but Abel didn’t know why.

“I love the things they create for cartoons. It’s always so interesting and a little crazy.” she giggled. “I’d love to be apart of that! I could work with other studios and maybe meet other toons!” She wanted to meet other toons? That was refreshing to hear.

“Oh please! That’ll never happen.” Everyone turned to a boy that was leaning against the wall. Even Abel was shocked into silence. The boy was scowling at Jeanne. “They wont hire someone like YOU. You’ll probably end up working in some factory or some field somewhere.” The boy laughed cruelly. No one joined him. Abel could feel his own temper begin to rise. He was going to tell the child that he had no right to discourage another person from their dream! The angel’s thoughts were interrupted by a soft sniffling sound. He turned to see Jeanne jumping down from the wall. She looked like someone had slapped her in the face. Tears glistening in her eyes as she tried hard not to look at the group.

“I, umm, I should probably go. I need to get home.” Jeanne walked across the street quickly. Her head hung low as she tried to hide the tears running down her cheeks. She wouldn’t turn around, not even when some of the kids yelled for her to come back. She stopped for just a moment to wipe her eyes with the back of her hand. It was hard to see where she was going with her tears blurring her vision. Jeanne felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped a little bit. She turned to see Abel standing there, giving her an apologetic look. He sure could be quiet when he wanted to be.

“You alright kid?” She wanted to say “Yes” if it stopped him from looking at her like that. But she couldn’t. To have her dream shot down like that… hurt.

“I guess I was being silly huh?” She wiped at her eyes again. The tears just kept coming. “He was right. No one at Acme would hire someone like me…” Her head was hanging so low. She wanted to hide her face. She didn’t want Abel to see her like this and would have ran if his hand wasn’t on her shoulder. Jeanne heard a soft growl and looked up. He looked angry, but not at her.

“That’s not true!” He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “You can do anything if you put your mind to it.” It hurt him to see such a hopeless look on her face.

“But Abel-” He held his hand up, cutting her off. He would hear none of that!

“Listen to me. Never surrender your dreams!” she looked at him with wide eyes. “If you want it bad enough, fight for it! It wont be easy, but nothing worth having in this world ever is.” He stepped back and took a deep breath as he tried reigning in his temper.

“Never let anyone tell you, you can’t do something.” The toon angel held out his hands in an almost pleading manner. “It’s your dreams. Don’t let anyone take that away from you.”

Jeanne just stared at him. He looked so sincere. He wanted her to believe him so badly. She blinked a few times as fresh tears welling up in her eyes.

Abel was caught by surprised when the child wrapped her arms around him. She hugged him and cried softly into his shoulder. It only took him a moment to reciprocate.

“Thank you, Abel.” He closed his eyes. It was said so softly but so heartfelt. “You’re welcome kid. Just promise me you’ll take my advice. I meant every word I said to ya.” He could feel her nod into his shoulder. “I promise.”

Abel waited for the child to get it out of her system. After a few minutes, she pulled away. He didn’t miss the soft smile or the hope that lit her brown eyes. She told him she really needed to head home, but she would come back. They said their ‘goodbyes’ and he watched her cut across the alley.

The angel headed back to the studio when he noticed the children where gone. Mr. Smith and another gentleman was standing against the wall. The other man wore a white suit with crosses on his lapel and cuffs. He also held a large Bible in his hand. Able took to calling him The Preacher. Whenever he came to the studio, he would preach their ideals to the staff and Abel. At the time, the toon angel thought nothing of it. But now, he really didn’t want to hear it.

“Abel.” The Preacher got his attention. “We don’t like the way you’ve been acting lately.” That statement almost made him roll his eyes. “You represent our highest ideals. The people in our organization look up to you and so you must hold yourself up to a higher moral standard, angel.” The toon was staring at the man with narrowed eyes.

“What are you getting at?” The man just shook his head and sighed like he was talking to a wayward child. Abel bristled at that.

“We don’t like the people you’ve been hanging around with.” Oh, now they were telling him who he could talk to? He could feel his temper flaring to life again.

“She’s just a child!” he yelled. “She’s not hurting any-” At this point, everything happened so fast. The Preacher slapped him across the face. The man looked angry.

“How dare you speak to me like that! You know nothing of the real world. Those people will destroy everything we hold dear.” The man stabbed a finger in the toon’s direction. “They will corrupt you if you let them. They have no morals. Not like us.”

Abel just stood there, rubbing his sore cheek. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He could practically feel the hate in those words. All of it directed at an innocent child. Was it always like that? Why hadn’t he noticed before…

“Go inside. It looks like I need to remind you of a few things.” Abel walked passed Mr. Smith and noticed the smirk on his face. His dislike for the man was growing stronger. The Preacher instructed him to go to his room. He followed the angel in and shut the door behind him.

He spent thirty minutes yelling at the toon and waving the thick book in his face. Abel just sat on his bed with a distant look in his eyes. Was this what he was teaching the kids? He thought he was doing the right thing, but now it all felt so wrong. Somewhere deep inside of him, a fire was lit. The toon angel didn’t fear The Preacher’s words. Instead, it fueled an anger that was building little by little. One thought kept echoing through his mind: I am not your puppet.

  
**-OoOoOoOoO-**

  
That Sunday afternoon, Abel saw Jeanne and her mother standing across the street at one of the food stalls. The girl noticed him and waved him over. She was more than happy to introduce her mother to the angel.

“So, where are such two lovely ladies coming from this fine afternoon?” Jeanne giggled and her mother looked amused.

“My daughter would have to make friends with a silver tongued angel.” That made him laugh. There were no bite to her words. It almost sounded like a compliment. “We just came from Sunday services and now I’m trying to figure out what I’m fixin’ for dinner tonight.” The woman excused herself as she walked deeper into one of the shops.

“Oh, before I forget-” Jeanne held out a small book to him. It was green and had a gold cross on the cover. A tiny bookmark with a blue ribbon on the end was pressed between the pages. “I wanted to give you this.” Abel just stared at the offered book. It was then he realized that he didn’t possess one of his own. They never gave him one. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t take hers.

“No no, I can’t take this. It’s yours.” Jeanne just smiled and pushed the book into his hands. “It’s a gift, besides Ma has plenty at home. I want you to have it.” Such a small version of what The Preacher carried around with him. Still, he was grateful to have one to call his own. He slipped it into his pocket and thanked her. Soon, the girl’s mother was finished with her shopping and they were heading home. He noticed with some amusement that the mother wouldn’t allow them to go through the alley.

“You’re starting to push your luck, angel.” Abel could feel his wings twitch and the feathers ruffle slightly at the sound of Smith’s voice. He turned to find the man standing a few feet behind him. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and brushed passed the man. He managed to ground out “Whatever.” before heading back to the studio.

That night, Joshua tried to “talk some sense” into the toon angel. He warned him that their clients weren’t to be taken lightly. Abel just thanked him and went to his room. Without the lights on, Joshua assumed the toon was asleep and left him alone for the rest of the night.

Abel pulled the small Bible out of his pocket and sat on his bed. He closed his eyes and concentrated. The halo on top of his head began to glow a little brighter. It was bright enough for him to read but not so that it lit up the whole room.

As he began to read, he noticed there were things there that spoke to him. Love, patience, acceptance. Thing that contradicted what he learned in the beginning. It shocked him how much hate the organization managed to disguise in the form of “good morals” being taught to the next generation. It made him sick to his stomach to think he had been apart of all of that. No more. He wont do this anymore. If they didn’t like it, well that was their problem.

  
**-OoOoOoOoO-**

  
Once Abel made up his mind that he was going to do what he felt was right, it was oddly liberating. The first time he said “NO” to a script was the best feeling in the world for him. It drove the workers at the studio nuts and he got angry glares from Smith and his men, but he didn’t care.

Abel began to read other forms of literature. Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn really caught his interest. Any books he managed to get a hold of, he hid in his room. He didn’t want them taken away before he could finish them. He always kept the little bible in his pocket. That was more precious to him then any book in his growing collection.

The toon went out and greeted anyone that wanted to talk to him. This of course, caused more arguments between him and The Preacher. Abel even told the man he was flat out wrong. He had never seen a human’s face turn so many colors. The man tried to hit him again, but Abel saw it coming and caught his wrist. The look the toon gave him, gave the preacher pause before he snatched his hand back.

The tensions between the organization and the toon angel was high. Everything came to a head when Abel asked to join Jeanne at one of her Sunday services. The girl and her mother were more than happy to invite him. He ignored the warnings from Smith and Joshua. He was tired of taking orders from the both of them.

The people greeted him warmly. He listened as the pastor gave his sermon. It was so different from The Preacher’s. There was hope threaded throughout the man’s words. It stirred something in his soul and he knew he could never go back to spewing hate filled messages again.

After the service was done, the small group walked back towards the studio. Jeanne grabbed Abel’s hand when she noticed Mr. Smith standing in the doorway. He didn’t look happy. The toon could tell that the girl and her mother were both worried for him. Abel reassured them that everything would be alright. He could not have known…

As soon as Abel entered the building, Mr. Smith was standing there. The man was staring at him with cold eyes, but the toon was more than happy to stare back with a fierce glare of his own.

“I wish you had listened to us angel.” The man was shaking his head. “Everything we told you was for your own good.”

Abel scoffed. “My own good.” Smith frowned before sighing softly.

“You’ve left me with no other choice.”

The toon looked confused. “What are you talking ab-” Something blunt hit him on the back of his head and he went down like a sack of potatoes. Darkness began to cloud his thoughts as his conscious slipped away.

* * *

 

Abel groaned softly. His head was killing him. He blinked a few times to clear his blurred vision. He was in his room, but something did feel right. He was on his knees with his hands tied behind his back. His wings were hoisted upward. He looked around to see that his bed was gone and all the books he had acquired were torn and scattered about the room. The only book intact was a large Bible sitting in front of him.

He squirmed but the ropes were too tight. Even his wings wouldn’t move. He turned his head to see why he couldn’t move them. There were thick leather straps wrapped just below the ‘wrist’ area of each wing. There was a short metal rod, hooked into rings on the straps that held them slightly apart. A thick rope was attached to the middle of the rod and was held up and threaded through two pulleys. One above his head and another near the door. The end of the rope was tied to a large metal hook bolted to the floor. _‘How long was I out?’_ he wondered.

The door creaked open and Mr. Smith walked in with a wooden chair in hand. He closed the door behind him. He placed the chair near the rope and sat down. Smith stuck a cigarette in his mouth and lit it. The man took a long drag before blowing the smoke towards Abel. He didn’t say anything for quite some time. He just stared at the toon angel. Said angel was glaring daggers at him.

“Ya know, all ya had to do was stick to the program.”

Abel said nothing.

“All we wanted was for you to spread our message to the kids. Was that too much to ask?”

That sent Abel’s temper boiling. He snarled at the man. “I refuse to spread that.. GARBAGE to anymore innocent children. That’s not why I’m here!”

“Oh really?” The man raised an eyebrow. “Why are you here?”

“I’m here to spread love, not hate!” Smith just laughed at him.

“You’re here because we needed a figurehead for our organization. What better mascot than an angel.” Abel’s face was a mixture of shock and anger. “We’ve invested a lot of time and money into you.”

Abel watched as Smith leaned over and untied the rope that was attached to the hook. Something about this setup was making him very nervous.

“It’ll cost us too much to start over, but you can’t go on like you have without being punished.”

“P-Punished?!” Abel’s pie cut eyes grew wide when he realized what was going on. He began to struggle but it was no use.

Smith stood up and wrapped the rope around his hands to make sure he had a good grip. He took one step back and pulled as hard as he could.

Abel screamed. It was like lightning shooting through his wings and down his back. His wings were stretched towards the ceiling. They were pulled so taut that they were stiff. He couldn’t even wiggle the tips. He tried to sit up straighter to take the pressure off his back, but it wasn’t working. His whole body began to shake as the pain spread to his shoulders and neck. Abel hung his head. Even that hurt. He gritted his teeth, tears were forming in his eyes.

Smith tied to rope back to the hook. “I’ve been watching you for quite some time. I know how sensitive your wings are.“ He walked up to the toon angel and knelt down until they were at eye level. Smith put his hand under Abel’s chin and lifted his head so he could look him in the eyes.

“You brought this onto yourself. I take no enjoyment in watching you suffer.” Abel could practically feel the lie in that statement. Smith reached up and patted him on the back, hard. That sent a fresh wave of pain coursing through his system.

The man stood up and moved close to Abel’s side. The toon angel stiffened when he felt callus fingers combing through his feathers. He heard the man hum softly as though he was admiring the soft plumage. All of a sudden, Smith gripped a handful of feathers and ripped them out.

Abel’s breath caught in his throat before he started to gag. Inky tears ran down his face and pooled onto the wooden floor. The pain was excruciating. He had dark spots playing at the edge of his dimming vision. He was close to passing out. He doubt he’d find any relief if he did.

“Huh, Angel Feathers. These will make a nice souvenir.” Smith left Abel in that position as he picked up the chair and walked out of the room. Before he closed the door, he told the toon that he could use that Bible on the floor to repent his sins.

“I’m not… a sinner.” Abel said through gritted teeth.

  
**-OoOoOoOoO-**

  
Joshua knew this was going to happen. He tried to warn the angel but he was too headstrong. He tried to explain to the organization that toons, by there very nature, loved entertaining children. They were living beings that form their own views and opinions over time. If you did something that conflicted with their need to make children happy, they will almost always turn on you. This was doubly true for Abel. He was a Guardian Angel after all.

Day after day, Joshua and the crew could hear the pain filled screams coming from the angel’s room. No one would lift a finger to help out of fear of the organization. Most just walked out rather than listen to that torture. They all felt shame but not enough to put their own lives on the line for a toon.

After a few days, Smith would lower Abel’s wings long enough to let him lay on the floor. It was the only time they let him rest before it all started up again. They barely fed him, thus keeping him too weak to even try to escape.

Sometimes Smith would drag him to the screening room. There, he would show the angel films of people being beaten, attacked by dogs, or even lynched. Abel couldn’t believe the horrors humans were willing to perpetrate against their own. Smith told him it was the only way to keep the ‘scum’ in line. It made the toon sick to his stomach.

Abel didn’t know why, but Smith decided to take him outside. He claimed it was so he could get some fresh air. The toon didn’t believe anything that came out of the man’s mouth.

The angel had to lean heavily against the wall. He was still sore and he just got enough feeling in his wings to fold them against his back. It was a beautiful day and the sun felt so warm. He closed his eyes and tried to soak up as much of it as he could. He didn’t know when he’d get another chance to do this. His thoughts began to drift to the children. He hadn’t seen any of them in awhile and he hoped they were okay. He was glad they weren’t here to see him like this.

“Well well well, will you look at that.” Abel’s eyes cracked open slowly. Anything that got this man’s attention can’t be good. “It’s the “stray”…”

The toon’s eyes widened and he looked across the street. Sure enough, Jeanne was standing there, watching him. He could feel a thread of panic coiling it’s way through his chest.

“I even told the children that you were sick and after awhile, they just stop coming by.” Smith watched a hurt expression play across the toon’s face. “But not that one.” Smith tilted his head in the girl’s direction. “She comes back here everyday, looking for you. Ain’t that just like a stray. Feed them a little food and they never stop coming ‘round.” Abel looked up at the man. He didn’t like the tone of his voice.

“So, I need you to get rid of her.” Abel looked at Jeanne then back at Smith. That coil of panic nearly choking him. “What?”

Smith waved his hand in the girl’s direction. “Tell her to go away. I don’t want her hanging around here anymore.” The man leaned in close and lowered his voice so that only the toon could hear him. “Do it… or I will.”

Fear. That was all Abel could feel at that moment. Not fear for himself, but fear for a child that had done nothing wrong. Her only crime in their eyes was being born the wrong skin color. He turned away from Smith and walked across the street. He stuffed his gloved hands into his pocket. His fingers brushed against the small book Jeanne gave him. He had to do this.

Jeanne watched as he got closer. He could tell by the look on her face, she knew something was wrong. He stopped a few feet away from her and refused to look her in the eyes.

“Abel…” She was reaching out to him. He shook his head and she stopped. He had a grimace on his face.

“Jeanne, sweetheart, you need to leave.” His eyes drifted off to the side and she followed his gaze. Smith. He was watching them both like a hawk.

“Abel please-” He shook his head again and gave her a stern look. Her eyes were full of concern… for him. He had to do this. Even if this was his last act as a Guardian Angel, he had to keep her safe.

“Listen to me. Don’t come back here anymore. I don’t want to see you get hurt.” He gave her a smile that didn’t quite touch his tired eyes. “Please, as a friend, do this for me.”

Jeanne shoulders sagged and she just stared at him. Ever since Smith and his men told the kids that Abel was sick, she didn’t believe it. She was seeing him the first time in weeks and he didn’t look sick. He looked like someone’s been beating on him! His wings looked stiff and ragged on the edges. His cloths were scuffed and he walked like he was in pain. It made her upset to see him like this and all she wanted to do was take him out of there. It must have shown on her face because he shook his head again.

“I’ll be alright kid. Just go.” She didn’t want to go, she didn’t want to leave him, but she understood. Even if they ran, she couldn’t hide him forever. They would find him and take him away.

“Goodbye Abel.” She turned and rushed off to the alley. He saw the way her eyes glistened and he was glad she left before the tears started to fall. That alone would have broken him. He gripped the book in his pocket a little tighter. She was safe, that’s all that mattered.

Abel walked back to the studio where Smith was waiting for him. The man put his hand on the toon’s shoulder. It made him flinch.

“Good job. Now, lets get you inside. You have work to do.”

Somewhere deep inside, Abel felt something crack. He knew, then and there, he was slowly breaking and nothing could fix him.


	3. Taking Back Your Freedom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just when he'd given up, hope finds its way back to Abel.

Joshua didn’t want this. He didn’t like seeing his creation beaten down and paraded around like a tarnished trophy. There was nothing he could do. Not without putting his crew and himself in danger. So he sat back with a heavy heart and watched as the life slowly drained out of his angel’s eyes.

It’s been four years since Abel’s creation. Joshua had considered the toon nothing more than a commission. Just a way for his studio to make money. It wasn’t suppose to be anything more than that.

Joshua hadn’t counted on the toon angel’s charm or endless curiosity to slowly win him over. There were days where Abel would come into his office and ask him how his day was. Sometimes the toon would lecture him if he was working too hard. One day, he caught a cold but refused to go home. The angel pulled him out of his office, sat him down in the common area, and brought him a cup of tea. Abel spent ten minutes pacing back and forth and yelling at him for not taking better care of himself. The toon was actually worried about him! It took him awhile to convince the poor angel that humans caught colds all the time and he wouldn’t die from it. That’s when he knew the toon angel meant more to him than just a commission.

Looking back on things, Joshua wished he could have done more. He watched as the toon would go through periods where he couldn’t take the poison they wanted him to say anymore. He would lash out and be punished for it. Those were the days Joshua wished he had never made a deal with those people.

Some days Smith and his men would go too far and leave Abel on the floor bleeding and unconscious. Joshua would sneak into his room and treat his wounds. He would bring bandages and a few bottles of ink with him. The ink would help the toon heal faster. He’d sit on the floor and pull the comatose toon into his lap. These moment brought the old man to tears. He didn’t even think Abel knew he was in the room with him. The once lively toon was slowly dying inside and Joshua could do nothing but watch.

Smith would come back a few days later to see if Abel was more compliant. The toon would shuffle out of the room, not saying a word to anyone. He wouldn’t even look at them. On the few times when he did, it was like a doll staring at them. Lifeless. Smith might have been happy with his handiwork, but it horrified Joshua and the rest of the crew.

One day Joshua walked in on a rather disturbing conversation between The Preacher and Smith. They were sitting in his office looking over some sketches and animation cells from Abel’s show, before they brought him to life.

“Maybe it’s time you cut your loses.” Smith was sitting on his desk looking over some old drawings of Abel.

“You might be right. I’ll have to talk it over with the others. Abel is still popular despite his… change in demeanor.” The Preacher was looking over a few drawings of Cain, Abel’s brother and the antagonist of the show.

“Excuse me, but what are you two talking about?” Joshua had a sinking feeling he knew what it was.

Both men told him how they wanted to replace the toon. That he didn’t have the same life in him like he did when he was first created. This made Joshua angry.

“After everything Smith did to him?! Of course he’s not the same! You broke his spirit. You can’t just throw him away like some toy!” Both men were caught by surprised at the anger directed at them. They backpedaled, claiming that it was just talk. Joshua knew better.

Abel would read the scripts given to him. He would do as he was told, but one look into his eyes and you could tell he didn’t mean any of it. He was just going through the motions. The crew didn’t have the heart to make him go through multiple takes. The toon did just enough to keep from being tortured. No one could fault him for that, but The Preacher was less then impressed with his performances. Joshua knew Abel was living on borrowed time.

 

**-OoOoOoOoO-**

 

Abel was tired. He had been doing this song and dance for a few years now. Sure, he fought it all in the beginning, but he quickly learned that there was no point. He had no where else to go. He was trapped in this place he once called home. No one would help him. Not even his creator. He was just a tool to spread messages that tainted children’s minds. He just… didn’t care anymore.

On this day, he found himself sitting on the steps of the studio. He knew how sullen he looked. People would keep their distance or would look at him with pity in their eyes. At some point he stop trying to meet their eyes. No amount of pity would move those people to help him. It was a bitter pill for him to swallow. He gave up on humans a long time ago.

He used to love coming outside and feeling the sun on his skin. It used to warm him, make him feel alive. Now, he felt nothing but cold deep inside himself. The fire that once fueled his passion was long since extinguished. The only relief he got these days were to sit outside and let his mind go blank. At least Smith couldn’t take that away from him.

“Abel?” A soft voice called his name, but he ignored it. It was probably his imagination.

“Oh Abel…” A soft touch to his shoulder got no response from him. Soon they would just go away and leave him alone. They would leave him, like everyone else…

“What have they done to you?” He refused to look up. What was the point. No one cared! He didn’t want pity. Pity would get him no where.

It was a woman. She put her hands on his shoulders. She knelt down to try to look him in the eyes, but he just turned his head away. _‘Please, just go away…’_

“Abel, it’s me, Jeanne.” He blinked. That name. He remembered something. A child he met years ago. Brown skin… It couldn’t be. He took a shuddering breath and looked up at her. Soft brown eyes looking back at him. The same expression she had when he made her leave all those years ago. He just shook his head and looked back down. Why did she come back? He was just a shell of who he used to be. Not worth fretting over…

Jeanne hated seeing her friend like this. She hated what Smith had done to him. There was no life in his pie cut eyes. In all this time, no one helped him? She gave his shoulders a gentle squeeze and hoped he’d listen to her.

“Your kind words helped me when I was a little girl…” Her hands slid down his arms until she had a grip on his hands. “and now, I want to help you.” She slipped a piece of paper into his limp hands. She watched as his fingers slowly curled around it.

Jeanne stood up and gently wrapped her arms around him, embraced him in a way that made him remember better days. Days when the kids would run up to him and hug him tightly. Back then he didn’t hesitate to return the gesture. It filled him with so much joy.

Why was she doing this to him? This was a new kind of torture. He didn’t want to feel this. It hurt too much.

She rested her head against his soft hair and whispered to him.

“Do you remember when you told me to never surrender my dreams. I made you a promise that day and I kept it.” She pulled him in close, cupping the back of his head with her hand. Abel just sat there. He didn’t have the energy to return the hug.

“I did it! I’m working for the Acme Corporation now.” Abel closed his eyes. She took his advice. She followed her dreams. At least he did some good in his miserable life. She squeezed him tightly.

“Please, you need to listen to me. There is a newborn city not too far from here. It‘s called Toon Town.” Jeanne’s eyes darted around. She hadn’t seen Smith yet. She need to make this quick.

“Whatever they are doing to you, you don’t need to take it anymore. Run from this place! If you can reach Toon Town, you’ll be safe. You can stay with the other toons! You can make a new home for yourself there.” Jeanne was holding him so close she couldn’t see the look of surprise that crossed his face. _‘Home?’_

“Abel, you deserve better than this.” Those last words struck something deep inside. Something he stopped believing in a long time ago. Hope.

Abel could feel something warm and wet sliding down the side of his face. He heard the soft hitch in her breathing and realized, she was crying. Crying for him. She came back to him. After all this time, she didn’t forget him. But all of this was pointless, wasn’t it? Maybe not…

Abel felt her body stiffen against him. He knew without even looking that Smith was standing in the doorway.

“Excuse me, Miss?” Jeanne pulled away slowly. It gave Abel a chance to slip the piece of paper into his pocket.

“I-I’m sorry sir. I’ve never seen a toon angel before.” she lied smoothly. “I just had to get a closer look. I guess I got a little too excited and had to give him a hug.” She gave Smith a sheepish grin and prayed he didn’t recognize her.

Smith was looking at Abel. The toon was just sitting there like a rag doll, staring at the ground. He didn’t respond to anything going on around him. The man sniffed and leveled a cool gaze at the colored woman before him.

“He’s private property. I would appreciate it if you didn’t lay your hands on him.” The woman stepped back and looked at him apologetically.

“I’m sorry sir. I didn’t mean any harm. I’ll be going now.” Jeanne gave Abel one last look and hoped he would take her advice. He couldn’t live like this anymore. She turned and walked back down the street. Neither she nor Smith noticed Abel watching her leave out of the corner of his eye.

“Hmm, I hope she didn’t get any of her filth on you.” Abel didn’t respond. Smith reached out and stroked the angel’s wing. The toon flinched. “Come back inside.” The angel got to his feet and shuffled passed the man.

Joshua was checking the progress of some of the animators when he noticed Abel slouching in one of the wooden chairs. Smith was talking to him but Joshua couldn’t tell if the toon was listening or not. His eyes were so distant. Smith walked away, leaving the angel alone. A few seconds later, a strange look crossed Abel’s face. If Joshua wasn’t watching him, he would have missed it. Just then, there was a spark of something in his eyes. There was an emotion that the man hadn’t seen in a long time, anger. The old animator wondered what happened while his creation was outside.

  
**-OoOoOoOoO-**

  
For the next couple of day, Abel felt a war raging within him. It started out small but was growing in strength as the days wore on. He couldn’t get what Jeanne said to him out of his head. At night, when he was in his room alone, he would pull the piece of paper she handed to him out of his pocket. It was directions on how to get to Toon Town. This studio was his home. He couldn’t leave! Could he? He didn’t know what was waiting for him out there. It couldn’t be any worse than what he was going through right now.

Abel looked around his room. That contraption they used to punish him was hanging from the ceiling. There were sheets of paper with the word “Sinner” scribbled on them, taped to his walls. He ended up sleeping on the floor because they took his bed away a long time ago. This place was feeling less and less like home every day.

He wanted to leave, he really did. But this was the only place he knew. Smith and his men would never let him leave. Even if he did escape, they would hunt him down, drag him back and beat him within an inch of his life. It wasn’t worth it.

Abel sat on the floor with his head hanging low. His halo was glowing dimly and was drooping above him. It began to drip luminescent ink onto the hardwood floor. He was a sad excuse for an angel.

  
**-OoOoOoOoO-**

  
The next day crawled by like any other. Abel read his lines with as little enthusiasm as possible. The crew didn’t press him on it. They just worked with what they had. Smith just watched it all with a disapproving gaze and Abel could care less.

It was late and the crew was wrapping up for the day. Most of them went home for the day. Joshua stayed behind like he always did. Smith and his men where still hanging around and he didn’t trust them to be around the toon angel alone. He made some excuse about finishing up some paperwork. Smith had no reason to question him.

Abel stuffed his hands in his pocket and made his way to his room. He didn’t want to be around anyone right now. He looked up to find two of Smith’s men standing by his door. The toon turned to see Smith walking up behind him. He could feel his heart racing but he refused to show it outwardly. If he didn’t act out, maybe they would let him go without tying up his wings again.

“You know what? That work you did today was terrible.” Abel flinched at the sound of the man’s voice. He stared at the floor and apologized but knew it wasn’t enough.

“I don’t even think it’s worth punishing you anymore.” Abel looked up to see Smith smirking at him. Something was wrong, really wrong.

“It seems the Preacher has grown tired of you. He’s looking to replace you.” Abel blinked. _‘Replace?’_

The man took out a cigarette, put it between his lips and lit it. He took a few puffs before continuing. “Cain is looking like a pretty good candidate. Sure, he’s the “bad guy” but we can spin it in a way that our message will still get across.”

Abel stared at the man wide eyed. He did everything they wanted and they were just going to toss him aside? A small spark ignited deep within his soul. His hands balled into fists at his sides. How DARE they!

“Look, it’s business. Nothing personal. You’re just not packing them in like you used to. We need fresh talent. Cain will do nicely.”

Abel’s whole body began to shake. He couldn’t believe this. They were willing to do this to another toon and throw him away like garbage?! That small flame began to grow hotter, stronger. He could feel his chest tighten as his temper came roaring back.

“I don’t believe this! I stopped fighting you and did everything asked of me. You made me spew that garbage all the time!” Abel was seething. He hadn’t felt this much rage in a long time. He didn’t care if he was going to be punished, he needed to get this out or it would burn him from the inside out.

“And now you wanna replace me and make another toon go through this crap!?” Abel was so angry, he didn’t notice he took a few steps towards Smith. He got within a few feet of the man before his goons grabbed him from behind.

Smith looked smug as his men dragged the toon back to his room. He opened the door and they pushed Abel towards the leather straps. Abel screamed and struggled as he felt Smith tie the straps around his wings. _‘NO NO NO NO!’_

“Don’t worry about the other toon. You wont be around to see anything once we erase you.”

Abel froze in place. Erase? ERASE! His life really meant nothing to them! He was just a broken tool to be replaced in the end and him thrown away?! Abel felt something snap and a growl was crawling up his throat. He was baring his teeth at Smith and the man actually took a few steps back. He roared and began thrashing about. The men were having a hard time holding him in place. Smith ran back to untie the rope holding his wings.

This only made Abel struggle more. He could feel the leather straps start to give. He kicked one of the men in the shin. The man loosened his grip in shock and the toon wasted no time elbowing him in the face. The goon grabbed his nose as blood ran down his face. He let loose a string of curses and tried to grab Abel again. He didn’t get the chance.

There was a sharp crack that echoed throughout the room. One of the straps broke! The tips of his freed wing formed into a giant hand. He grabbed the guy with the busted nose by the back of the head and slammed him down onto the floor. The man didn’t move anymore after that. A pool of blood was forming under his face and he groaned weakly.

The other man stood there in shock as he watched his partner go down. He tried to subdue the toon but he was a lot stronger than he looked. Abel slipped out of his hold, spun around and delivered a strong punch to the man’s gut. He fell to his knees before a huge feathery fist hit him in the face. That goon was down for the count. It was just him and Smith now.

Smith couldn’t believe what was happening. He couldn’t untie the rope from the hook fast enough. The irate angel was breaking free!

Abel’s free wing clawed at the other leather strap until it snapped in half. He spread both wings wide in an intimidating manner. Smith began backing up. The angel crouched low, staring at the man with cold black eyes. He screamed and lunged for him.

Smith was knocked down onto his back with Abel looming above him. The toon began punching the man in the face repeatedly. He was letting out all that rage that had been building over the years and it felt good! He didn’t notice Smith reaching into his pocket and pulling out a switchblade. The toon stopped wailing on the man when he felt a sharp pain lance through his shoulder. Smith had stabbed him once and was trying to go for another strike, but Abel rolled away just in time.

The toon angel staggered out of the room. He was holding his bleeding shoulder as he made his way to the main doors. He stopped for just a moment when he saw Joshua standing at the other end of the hall. There was nothing his creator could say to make him stay. He was tired of this place.

“You stupid toon!” Abel turned to see Smith standing behind him. His face was a bloody mess and he was holding the knife stained with ink in his hand.

“Where do you think you’re gonna go?! No one wants a broken angel like you!’ He spat out some blood onto the floor. “You’re not even a Guardian Angel anymore. You’re just a rebel!”

Abel’s eyes narrowed as he watched Smith come closer. He had an almost deranged smile on his face.

The angel roared as one wing swiped across Smith’s hands, making him drop the knife. The other wing grabbed the man by the throat. He extended his wing and lifting Smith a foot off the ground. The man tried to pry the feathery hold from his neck, but the grip was like steel. He didn’t think the toon had that much strength in him.

Abel was just standing there, panting through gritted teeth. This man had caused him so much pain over the years. He broke him. Made him into someone he wasn’t. He took everything from him! He would pay for all of it.

The toon’s wings tightened around the fragile human neck even more. It would be so easy. He could feel the man struggle less and less. His breathing became more shallow and his pulse was thudding against his grip. Just a little more…

“Abel STOP!” The angel looked over his shoulder to see his creator standing there. The man looked horrified. Good. This is what they made him.

“Abel please, don’t do this.” He couldn’t believe Joshua was pleading for this miserable human’s life.

“Why shouldn’t I?! After everything he’s done to me! Why shouldn’t I just take his life?!” At that moment, Joshua just looked sad. It made Abel’s eye twitch.

“You don’t want that man’s blood on your hands. He’s not worth it and you’re better than that.” Abel scowled. He didn’t want to be better! He wanted to hurt Smith as much as he hurt him.

“Abel. Making a new life for yourself. That’s the best revenge.”

“A new life?” Abel whispered to himself. Toon Town. He could start a new life there, away from humans. He would no longer have to take orders from any of them. Smith would have to live with the knowledge that he failed!

Abel huffed and dropped Smith. He was still breathing but he was in no condition to follow him. He shuffled to the front doors and pushed them open. He took one last look over his shoulder at Joshua then slipped out the door.

Joshua just stood there. The look Abel gave him before leaving hurt his heart. It was a mixture of hate and disappointment. He had to stop the angel from killing the man. It wasn’t purely moral. A runaway toon was rarely tracked down. If Abel had killed a man, the authorities would stop at nothing to bring him down. This was the only thing he could do for him. He wished his creation “good luck” and left Smith and his men laying in the hall.

Abel stumbled down the dark streets. He was grateful that they were empty. He didn’t think he had enough energy for another fight. He stopped under the dim light of a streetlamp. Bracing himself against the wall with one wing, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small green bible. He leafed through the pages until he found the piece of paper with directions to Toon Town on it.

“Jeanne.” He couldn’t believe she came back to him. She helped him, gave him that push he needed to leave that little slice of hell. He smiled tiredly.

“Thanks kid. Looks like we’re both even now.” He slipped the paper back into the book. He ran his gloved finger over the gold cross before putting it back into his pocket. He pushed off the wall and continued down the street.

He didn’t know what life had in store for him. But one thing was clear, he would be no one’s puppet. He was in control now and he’ll let no one take that away from him. Smith called him a ‘Rebel’. If it meant him taking charge of his own life and not taking crap from anyone, then he was happy with that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last part to chapter one of that lovely comic. I had a lot of fun writing this. I'm not sure if I'm going to tackle part two or not.


End file.
